Frederick Hyde Brown

Life before the WarFrederick Hyde junior was the first of five siblings born to Frederick (also with the middle name Hyde) and Christina, nee Couzens.

Father Frederick was born in Petersfield in 1870 and Christina in Havant in 1871. When Frederick senior married Christina in Guildford, Hampshire in 1893 he was a farmer. By the time of the 1901 census, the family were living at 28 Rockstone Place, Southampton and Frederick senior was by this time a Police Detective!

At the 1911 census the family had moved to 8 Cedar Road; whilst at the time of Fredrick junior death in 1918 they had moved to 105 Newton Road, Bitterne Park, Southampton.

Christina died in 1920 and Frederick in 1953, both in Southampton. Frederick senior was listed as living at 5 Hillside Avenue, Bitterne Park, Southampton at the time of his death.

Frederick junior’s 4 younger siblings were:

Winifred Evelyn b.1895 Southampton and d.1932 Bournemouth.

Archibald Frederick b.1897 Southampton and d.1967 Southampton.

Doris Isabella b.1905 Southampton and d.1993 Southampton.

Reginald b.1911 Southampton and d.1952 Bristol.

None of the siblings ever married.

Before Frederick enlisted in the Army he was an Apprentice Pipe & Gas Fitter in Southampton.

War Service
Frederick probably lost his life during a successful Commonwealth attack on the village of Vaulx-Vraucourt. The village had originally been lost in the March of 1918.

His battalion would have had howitzers, either mounted on railways or on fixed concrete emplacements. Normally, they would be positioned well behind the front line in order to more easily gauge the correct range for the enemy troops and guns.

Frederick was awarded the Military Medal, for “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire”.

He was initially buried in the Vracourt Churchyard Extension but his grave, together with another 191, was transferred after the Armistice to Vaulx Hill, Pas de Calais, France (Plot 1, Row J, Grave 26). His headstone is engraved with, some may say, the less than endearing…. “He did his best”

Researcher:

Mark Heritage

Published.:

20th October 2014

Updated:

Insert dates here

If you have any additional information about the person named above please complete the Comments section below.